Bill Snyder was working miracles when David Shaw was at Stanford – playing wide receiver. They'll build statue after statue for coaches like Nick Saban, those who lead the bluebloods to championships, but they've already named a stadium after Snyder, not to mention a highway: Coach Bill Snyder Highway, a portion of K-177, leads right to Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Kansas State changes its focus, its sense of purpose and direction, as often as Snyder changes windbreakers. (Rarely, and always for a reason.) The year may be 2013; the year may also be 1994; it may be 1997, 1998, 2003, what have you. The Wildcats are what we thought they'd be, a stoic, brawny, rough-and-tumble, flash-and-frills-free bunch so finely tuned into Snyder's personality as to be walking, talking embodiments of the coach himself, a man set for the College Football Hall of Fame as soon as he hangs up his whistle – the next time for good, one would think.

And so it's with some confusion that the Wildcats must look at press clippings penciling in this year's squad for a rebuilding year, a season far removed from last year's 11 wins, Big 12 title and Fiesta Bowl berth. Ten returning starters? No Heisman Trophy contenders? No All-American linebacker? The basic tune remains the same, just altered for 2013: KSU was questioned heading into last September, with many wondering if the Wildcats could get another round of lucky bounces, and we know how that turned out.

Let's just remember, for old time's sake: K-State is 316-530-1 without Snyder, 170-85-1 with Snyder. The Wildcats were picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 in 2011 and finished second, and were picked to finish sixth last fall but finished first. Hey, it's all in a year's work. Kansas State goes away when Snyder goes away and not a moment before.

To me, K-State will win no fewer than eight games in the regular season. Why? On offense, the Wildcats can tout the backfield pairing of Klein and Hubert, with the former one of the elite quarterbacks in college football, and a receiver corps with the ability to stretch the field if defenses load up the box to stop the run. The Wildcats hit the checklist on defense: nice pressure at end, size inside, an all-American at linebacker and a stopper at cornerback. While I don't think K-State is going to win the Big 12, I do think that the Wildcats need to be taken more seriously as a BCS bowl contender.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: Kansas State went 11-1 in the regular season, losing only to Baylor in November – Baylor was perfect for one Saturday – and capturing the Big 12 title, the second conference championship of Snyder's career. It was the late 1990s all over again: KSU was meat-and-potatoes devastating on offense and extremely underrated defensively, scoring 505 points (12th nationally) and allowing 288 (29th) for a differential of 217 points, a program-best since 2003. That was the year of the Wildcats' last Big 12 championship, of course. The offense was headlined by quarterback Collin Klein, an absolute joy, and propelled forward by an elite running game. The defense took its cue from the offense, playing with a degree of physicality largely unmatched by its Big 12 compatriots. To me, this team wasn't defined by wins at Oklahoma and TCU or losses to Baylor and Oregon, the latter in the Fiesta Bowl, but rather by one win in particular: KSU, after having its heart broken by the Bears, came back two weeks later and dismantled Texas 42-24 to take home the Big 12.

— High point: Either the win against Texas or the 24-19 victory at Oklahoma. The former sealed the Big 12; the latter paved the way. Beating OU allowed Snyder to tackle his longtime bête noire, not to mention secure the head-to-head tiebreaker his team needed after the Baylor loss in November. I took enormous pleasure in watching K-State take spread-based teams like West Virginia, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State into the back alley. It was hard to make plays in space when the Wildcats put you in a corner.

— Low point: The loss to Baylor. I know KSU wanted to top Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl, of course, but the Wildcats would have met Notre Dame in Miami had they not fallen victim to the Bears' late-season charge.

— Tidbit: I have no names to match this fact from the school's athletic department, but I find this amazing: K-State has seen 104 players who participated on special teams at some point in their careers go on to play professional football. If nothing else, this speaks to the formula Snyder has used in his program's player development.

— Tidbit (championship edition): Kansas State had a pretty solid 2012-13 athletic year. There was the football team, which won the Big 12. There was the men's basketball team, which did the same (sharing the title with Kansas). There was the baseball team, which went from tied for last in the Big 12 in 2012 to first place in 2013. One year, three titles: football, men's basketball, baseball. K-State is the second Big 12 program to pull off the trio in the BCS era, joining Texas, which did so in 2005-6. Four FBS programs have won conference titles in football, basketball and baseball in a single year since 1998: K-State, UT, Stanford (1999-2000) and Louisville (2012-13).

— Bill Snyder (William Jewell '63), who holds a 170-85-1 mark during two separate stints as Kansas State's coach. It would be somewhat misleading to call his first stretch, which lasted 17 seasons (1988-2005), merely the heyday of the school's football program; I don't believe such a description does Snyder's first tenure justice. Let's put his record into perspective. The Wildcats went 137-445-18 from 1935-1988, the year before Snyder's arrival. The program finished with only five winning seasons during this 54-year span: 1936, 1953-54, 1970 and 1982; that's three fewer winning seasons than the program had winless seasons over that time. You getting it?

Although he did not immediately make KSU into a winner – the Wildcats won 18 games in his first four seasons – the program took the next step forward in 1993, when it finished 9-2-1 and set a team record for points in a season (312). In 1998, a historic win over rival Nebraska pushed KSU to the top spot in the national polls, the first time it stood atop the college football landscape. That year – which ended with the Wildcats ranked No. 4 nationally – might have been the apex for the program, but Snyder continued to field annual conference and BCS contenders through much of his first run, and now again during his second.

Kansas State won its first conference championship since 1934 in 2003, when it upset heavily favored and then-No. 1 Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game. However, the team struggled the following two seasons, finishing a combined 9-15, leading many to question whether Snyder could still coach at a high level. Hence Snyder's decision after the 2005 season – mutual, by most accounts – to step down. Three years later, the godfather of Kansas State football was called in to clean up the mess – again. Had the time off recharged the batteries of college football's hardest working coach? Better yet, will Snyder be able to reclaim the magic of his first term? I think it's safe to say that Snyder's ability as a coach hasn't dimmed with age. One thing is certain: the Hall of Fame is waiting, whenever he's ready to call it a career. He is one of the finest coaches in football history.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: This offense might lack a Heisman contender – and might have an undecided situation under center – but the Wildcats' group is strong where it counts. What K-State brings into 2013 is a rock-solid offensive line, one that returns nearly intact from a year ago; a very experienced running back, one who should take firm control of the running game; and an explosive receiver corps paced by three of last season's top five pass-catchers. Yes, the quarterback is new. But the Wildcats still have enough pieces to remain successful in the same bread-and-butter style that has carried Snyder-coached teams for a generation. Better yet, and with last year as our evidence, Snyder and coordinators Del Miller and Dana Dimel do a very underrated job in constantly presenting different looks and formations, bolstering a tough mindset with the sort of schemes needed to keep Big 12 defenses off balance.

Senior running back John Hubert (952 yards, 15 touchdowns) has gained at least 950 yards in each of the past two years while sharing touches almost evenly with Klein. He'll see more looks in 2013, easily surpassing the 1,000-yard mark and again pushing for first-team all-conference honors. What K-State seems to lack is depth, so untested holdovers like senior Robert Rose and junior DeMarcus Robinson must produce when given the opportunity to see time in secondary roles. Of greater concern, perhaps, is the loss of fullback Braden Wilson, a hugely unrecognized leader on last year's offense. While experience is in short demand, K-State has very high hopes for redshirt freshman Glenn Gronkowski, who should earn the starting nod ahead of junior Zach Nemechek. Hubert is clearly one of the top backs in the Big 12, but he does need a little assistance.

John Hubert has gained at least 950 yards in each of the last two years.(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

This backfield will run behind one of the top two offensive lines in the Big 12. Remember the group that manhandled opponents in 2012? Well, the whole gang returns. Senior left tackle Cornelius Lucas and senior right tackle Tavon Rooks will bookend the line, with Lucas the Big 12's best at his position and Rooks, a former JUCO transfer, set to play with a heightened comfort level during his second season on campus. Right guard will be manned by senior Keenan Taylor, a 13-game starter last fall, while one of two sophomores, Cody Whitehair and Boston Stiverson, will grab the top job at left guard. Whitehair could see time inside and out as K-State begins to audition underclassmen for the two tackle spots in 2014. The best for last: B.J. Finney, a former walk-on, will challenge for All-American accolades from his spot at center.

All the Wildcats' receiver corps is lacking is a proven big-body target, one who can draw attention on third down and leave junior Tyler Lockett (44 receptions for 692 yards) and senior Tramaine Thompson (37 for 526) room to operate in space – the Wildcats need another Chris Harper, basically. That role will be filled by senior Torrell Miller, a converted defensive back, with help from junior Andre Jackson and sophomore Kyle Klein. K-State has another pair of larger options in tight ends Zach Trujillo and Andre McDonald, the by-committee replacements for Travis Tannahill. But the passing game will revolve around Lockett and Thompson, a pair of ankle-breaking, big-play receivers with the speed to beat any Big 12 defensive back deep should the running game force opponents to step closer to the box. Miller needs to deliver.

— Defense: So the defense will have some new faces. Let's start with what we know: K-State's secondary seems secure, primarily thanks to a degree of returning experience unshared by the front seven. The leader of this defense – and this entire team – is senior strong safety Ty Zimmerman (50 tackles, 5 interceptions), a multiple-year starter tasked with breaking several new contributors into the lineup. The Wildcats also return junior cornerback Randall Evans (76 tackles), who moves over from nickel back to help replace Nigel Malone and Allen Chapman. Senior Kip Daly is a contender for the other cornerback spot, though K-State could also use JUCO transfer Nate Jackson or former Georgia Tech transfer Carl Miles – if not some combination of all three. Over at strong safety, sophomore Dante Barnett (24 tackles), made two starts during the final stages of 2012; Baylor was an utter disaster, but Barnett played much better against Texas. Another JUCO transfer, Travis Green, could push for snaps on the back end. Zimmerman's an All-American, Evans is ready, Barnett is promising and there's JUCO help. The secondary is in good shape.

The situation gets more troubling the closer you get to the line of scrimmage. The second level loses all three primary starters but will land a boost from a veteran like senior Blake Slaughter, who took a redshirt last fall to provide some separation from Arthur Brown. He steps into some big shoes: Brown was awesome in the middle, playing as well as any linebacker in the FBS, and Slaughter's ability to lead physically and mentally may be the deciding factor for this defense. The top three seems very settled: Slaughter in the middle, senior Tre Walker on the strong side and junior Jonathan Truman on the weak side. Other exterior options include JUCO transfer Dakorey Johnson, sophomore Mike Moore and true freshman Nick Ramirez.

The defensive line breaks in four new starters. The Wildcats are a little thin inside, where somewhat tested holdovers like sophomore Travis Britz and senior Chaquil Reed are joined by several new faces. Reed, like several cogs in the line rotation, is a former JUCO transfer who played sparingly in 2012; big things are expected, but much depends on how much work Reed and others put in during the offseason. Depth at tackle comes from a youngster like Demonte Hood and late-in-the-game JUCO transfers in Andre Roberts and Valentino Coleman. The interior of the line is an issue. But I like the situation at end despite the lack of prototypical experience, especially with a nice top quartet in senior Alauna Finau, juniors Ryan Mueller and Laton Dowling and sophomore Marquel Bryant. Though the rawest of the bunch, Bryant has the talent to be one of the Big 12's breakout defenders. Add in JUCO transfer Devon Nash and, at worst, you have a deep rotation at end. At best, the end position is the strength of this defense.

— Special teams: K-State must replace its starting kicker and punter, which means these special teams will drop from the nation's best to, say, the fifth-best. Betting against another elite season from the Wildcats' specialists is akin to betting against every piece of historical evidence at our disposal, which sounds like a bad idea. Sophomore Jack Cantele will take over at kicker, replacing his brother, Anthony, who had a wonderful career. At punter, K-State could use junior Mark Krause, who played a touch in 2012, or hands the reins to former JUCO transfer Ethan Hammes. Then there's the return game: Lockett is among the top three or four in the FBS on kickoffs; the same can be said of Thompson on punts.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Quarterback: Every few years, it not more frequently, Snyder likes to open up a quarterback competition and extend it as deep into fall camp as possible, perhaps waiting until the week of the opener before laying his cards on the table. I have no doubt that he'll do so again in 2013. The first contender is sophomore Daniel Sams, last year's backup. The other is Jake Waters, a well-regarded JUCO transfer who enrolled in time for the spring, allowing him to quickly grasp the nuts and bolts of this offense. The case for the former is simple: Sams (235 yards rushing) proved himself last fall, albeit in a small sample size, and will clearly give K-State terrific production in the running game. The case for the latter: Waters was desired by K-State and others for a reason, because of his proficiency as a passer, and seems to have enough mobility to extend plays, though not break ankles. To me, that Sams entered fall camp with a slight lead means something, but not much – because Snyder wanted to see more of each before making any decision. In fact, there's a chance that the Wildcats' smooth non-conference schedule allows Snyder to extend the competition into September, giving him the chance to see Sams and Waters in a game environment. My take: Sams is the guy. No, wait: Waters. In my mind, it'll be either Sams or Waters. I like Sams for his ability to move the sticks with his feet; that's he an unpolished passer matters little, because Klein's throwing style wasn't necessarily coated with varnish. Whether K-State opts to use both, with Sams the runner and Waters the passer, depends on Snyder's penchant for two-man quarterback rotations.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Texas: The world will be K-State's oyster if it can survive a brutal opening stretch to Big 12 play. After starting 3-0 – because I love the Ragin' Cajuns, but Louisiana-Lafayette isn't winning in Manhattan – the Wildcats take on Texas and Oklahoma State on the road before returning home for Baylor. From there, however, K-State gets West Virginia, Iowa State, TCU and Oklahoma at home, and Texas Tech and Kansas on the road. Getting to 5-1 at the midway point will lead to a 10-win regular season, in my mind – if not another Big 12 title.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: Kansas State will take a step back from last season, when it came within a Saturday evening on playing for the national championship, but won't drop completely off the map in the Big 12 – contrary to most projections. In fact, I think the Wildcats will finish in the league's top four and make a bit of a push for the Big 12 title, bringing the fight to Texas, Oklahoma and others in a very familiar fashion, merely with a new cast of characters. The general theme won't change: K-State will play with a physicality unmatched elsewhere, will run the football with devastating effectiveness, will force errors on defense and will dominate special teams – and will be as well-coached as anyone. Any group with these assets is one of the top 25 teams in college football even with the unavoidable issues with inexperience.

But it'll still be extremely difficult – some may some impossible, but that's going a touch too far – to reach another BCS bowl. The Wildcats will suffer a decline in quarterback play, even if Sams has the athleticism to match Klein's production in the running game. The receiver corps must find a bigger target to replace Chris Harper. The defense is obviously a concern from front to back, though the nice depth at end and solid secondary are two very positive signs. Overall, this is a fairly raw team with the ability to really develop during the course of the year; unfortunately, K-State may very well be eliminated from the Big 12 race by the midway point.

I still think this is a nine-win team, even if those nine wins include only one or two "marquee victories" – for example, the Wildcats might go 2-3 against Texas, Oklahoma State, Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma. That'd be pretty impressive, actually. Given all that the Wildcats have on the field, in reserve and on the sideline, I'd be surprised by anything less than 8-4. This is when the program really excels: K-State loves coming in under the radar. This is still a very dangerous team.

— Dream season: Kansas State doesn't go 11-1 but 12-0, earning a spot in the national championship game.

— Nightmare season: The Wildcats' lack of experience leads to quite a downturn: KSU goes from 11-2 to 6-6 heading into the postseason. Also, pigs fly.

— All-name team nominee: OT Cody Whitehair.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 23? This team's offensive coordinator has worked at six different stops during the past seven years.

Posted!

125: Georgia State - Georgia State joins the Sun Belt Conference as the newest member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The team is led by former Indiana State coach Trent Miles, who knows a thing or two about massive rebuilding projects, but the Panthers are several years away from competing for bowl eligibility.
Jim Avelis, AP

124: Massachusetts - After going 1-11 in 2012, its first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, UMass enters year two under Charley Molnar with little hope of any major improvement against another difficult schedule. The Minutemen are just a hair behind Akron for last place in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports

123: Idaho - After being part of the since-disintegrated Western Athletic Conference, the Vandals will spend one season as a Football Bowl Subdivision independent before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2014. It won’t be pretty: Idaho will play Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Mississippi and Florida State, among others.
Kyle Mills, AP

122: South Alabama - The Jaguars went 2-11 as first-year members of the Sun Belt Conference in 2012, and that record won’t improve dramatically unless the offense fixes the missteps that defined last season. While coach Joey Jones has assembled some talent, South Alabama is still too inexperienced to be a real threat for more than three or four wins.
Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports

121: New Mexico State. Previous coach DeWayne Walker left on his own accord after compiling a 10-40 record from 2009-2012, taking an assistant position with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 24, less than two weeks before national signing day. Walker's replacement, Doug Martin, has two things Walker did not when he took over late in 2008: FBS coaching experience (seven seasons at Kent State) and experience in Las Cruces (2011 as the Aggies' offensive coordinator).
Jim Avelis, AP

120: Akron - The Zips proved they could move the football last season, the program’s first under former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, but having a stronger offense didn’t prevent Akron from going 0-11 against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition. A year later, Akron remains far too undermanned to make any waves in the Mid-American Conference.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

119: Texas at San Antonio - The youngest program in college football, UTSA quickly moved from the Sun Belt Conference to Conference USA. The issue with such rapid growth is that it will force the Roadrunners to play beyond their years, and this team seems too inexperienced to handle the increased level of competition found in Conference USA.
Eric Gay, Associated Press

118: Florida International - After spending several years building to the point where it could reach back-to-back bowl games, as Florida International did from 2010-11, FIU is back to square one under new coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers are entering the first stage of what should be a long and painful rebuilding project.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

117: Eastern Michigan - Eastern Michigan is again out to prove its 6-6 finish in 2011 – the program’s lone six-win season since 1995 – was not a fluke. That seemed to be the case last fall, when the Eagles stumbled back to 2-10, the program’s third 10-loss season in four tries under coach Ron English. Confidence is not high in Ypsilanti.
Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports

116: Memphis - The Tigers made some strides last season, winning four games under coach Justin Fuente, but will be tested by the tougher level of competition in the American Athletic Conference. While the program has clearly improved, 2013 should again find Memphis at the bottom of the conference standings.
Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports

115: Colorado - It can only get better than it was a year ago, if only because things couldn’t possibly get worse. Colorado begins a new era under former San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre with full knowledge of the difficult road that lies ahead. At the very least, CU knows it is now pointed in the right direction.
David Zalubowski, AP

114: UNLV. It's been 13 years since UNLV posted a winning season. The program is mired in a stretch of five seasons of 10 or more losses in the past seven years, with the last three coming under coach Bobby Hauck.
Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports

113: North Texas leaves the Sun Belt Conference to join Conference USA in 2013. Will a change in scenery lead to a change in the standings? The Mean Green have been better under coach Dan McCarney, winning nine games over the last two seasons, but this team won’t go anywhere unless it can find some much-needed explosiveness on offense.
Scott Sewell, USA TODAY Sports

112: After nine seasons under Mike Price, UTEP welcomes back former assistant Sean Kugler as its new coach in 2013. Kugler has some weapons to work with, including a high-profile addition in Texas A,M transfer Jameill Showers at quarterback, but it will take time for him to reverse UTEP’s losing ways.
Rudy Gutierrez, AP

111: Florida Atlantic -- The team's quest to bolster its fundraising coffers by offering up the naming rights to its new stadium hit a snag after the university student body and surrounding community quickly soured on a deal with GEO Group, a for-profit prison operator with a history of fines, investigations and violations.
Photo courtesy of Florida Atlantic University

110: Illinois -- Bruised and battered Illinois lacks confidence, as one might expect after the Illini won only a single game against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition during the program's first season under former Toledo coach Tim Beckman. Illinois also lacks an offense, a defense and an identity.
Rudy Gutierrez, AP

108: New Mexico -- Four wins is cause for celebration at New Mexico, which went 3-33 from 2009-11 but finished 4-9 in 2012, its first season under former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie. The Lobos may be stuck in neutral while Davie and his staff add talent and depth to a depleted roster, likely leading to another season with four or fewer wins, but the program has found a run-first formula to hang with stronger opponents during Mountain West Conference play.
USA TODAY Sports

107: Colorado State -- This team enters year two of its rebuilding process under coach Jim McElwain, who learned a thing or two about building a winner as the former offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama. The Rams’ issues in 2013 circle around an offense that remains in flux while it acclimates itself into McElwain’s pro-style scheme. A tough schedule will send CSU to another losing season.
USA TODAY Sports

106: Army. Army exceeded expectations once, in 2010, creating both a remarkably pleasing individual season while increasing the belief that the Cadets and coach Rich Ellerson could do so again. Unfortunately, Army has since slid back to successive losing seasons, with last year ending in a nightmare: Trailing by four points with little more than a minute left, the Cadets fumbled the ball away deep inside Navy territory to again lose to their academy rival.
Jim Avelis, AP

105: Hawaii -- Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow has painfully reworked Hawaii’s offense away from a pass-happy system into his pro-style scheme. Results thus far have been decidedly mixed. For now, the Rainbow Warriors will continue to lean on a defense with some speed and talent on the edge while the offense finds its form with a new starting quarterback, junior Taylor Graham. Hawaii is at least one full season away from competing for a bowl bid.
USA TODAY Sports

104: Texas State -- The Bobcats won four games last fall, the program’s first as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. This season finds Texas State in the Sun Belt Conference, an offensively prolific league that will test one of the nation’s worst defenses. But the Bobcats are very hopeful that FBS transfers like D.J. Yendrey and Mike Orakpo can give this defense some much-needed experience, production and aggressiveness.
L. Scott Mann AP

103: Miami (Ohio) -- Miami has lost at least eight games in four of the last seasons and has been outscored in each of the last seven seasons, two facts that illustrate the RedHawks’ current rut. Will things change in 2013? Third-year coach Don Treadwell’s group faces holes at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, so the defense will need to carry the load against a fairly easy schedule should Miami look to reach the postseason.
USA TODAY Sports

102: Central Michigan -- The Chippewas reached a bowl game last season by beating the bad teams on the schedule. Despite winning seven games, the gap between Central Michigan and MAC frontrunners like Northern Illinois, Toledo and Ball State remained immense. In terms of personnel, CMU needs to replace a multiple-year starter at quarterback and left tackle Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.
USA TODAY Sports

101: Kentucky -- Welcome to the new era of Kentucky football, revel in this new-car smell, because things have changed: Mark Stoops, the former defensive coordinator at Florida State, has altered the very way Kentucky views itself in the SEC pecking order. Not to mention Kentucky's own pecking order: The basketball team struggled this year, so there might be a power void at the top. Kentucky drew 50,831 fans to its spring game, or more than the Wildcats drew for any two home games from October on, judging by the pictures. Kentucky has reeled in more four-star recruits since December than at any point over the previous decade – combined, or just about.
USA TODAY Sports

100: Boston College -- The Eagles have sat and watched as their consistency, a hallmark of the program for the first decade of the new millennium, has crumbled to become nonexistent. New Boston College coach Steve Addazio's first task will be remaking the Eagles' broken sense of self-worth. If not the easiest first step, at least Addazio can tackle the task without worrying about teams like USC, Florida State and Clemson, three of Boston College's opponents over the first half of 2013. Wins and losses matter less than player development.
Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports

99: SMU -- Last year's team was better than its 7-6 record might indicate, particularly in terms of personnel. The Mustangs had a five-star transfer from Texas at quarterback, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield, a 1,000-yard receiver, a strong defensive line, an outstanding linebacker corps and a ball-hawking secondary. Yet the Mustangs still failed to beat any opponent of consequence outside of Tulsa, going 1-5 during the regular season against eventual bowl teams.
Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports

98: Western Michigan -- To properly understand where P.J. Fleck is coming from you need to sit down and watch him explain his new team's Nekton Mentality, Prefontaine Pace and Farmers' Alliance. These are things, real things, and to Fleck, they are what will separate Western Michigan from the rest of the MAC – actually, according to Fleck, they will ultimately separate the Broncos from the rest of college football.
Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

97: Troy -- Once a Sun Belt Conference power, Troy has ceded the top spot to conference rivals like Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette over the last two seasons. Getting back to the postseason might be difficult: Troy returns only seven starters, the second-fewest of any team in the country, and lacks depth on each side of the ball.
Jim Brown, US Presswire

96: Kansas -- The opening season in the Charlie Weis era at Kansas went poorly, with a 1-11 mark and a last-place finish in the Big 12. The five-year plan enters year two now: will it be baby steps, befitting Kansas' recent run as the nation's worst automatic-qualifying program, or will the Jayhawks break through the ceiling and challenge for a bowl berth in the brutal Big 12?
Mike DiNovo, US Presswire

95: California -- Jeff Tedford, who coached California for the previous 11 seasons, is gone. In his place, former Louisiana coach Sonny Dykes is the latest offensive innovator to take the reins of a Pac-12 program since 2009. What does this say about California, Dykes and the North? It says that offense is in vogue throughout the division, helping present the Pac-12 as the flip-side to the SEC's defense-first mentality.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

94: Rice -- Rice rode an explosive offense to a bowl game in 2012, defeating the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl. Can that explosive attack continue to help cover up a woeful defense (Rice has now allowed at least 48 points in a game 35 times since the start of the 2000 season) not only for this campaign, but beyond?
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

No. 93: Washington State -- In their second year under coach Mike Leach, can the Cougars reverse their string of losing at least eight games in the last five seasons? Only one other Pac-12 school has suffered as many eight-loss seasons in a row: Oregon State lost eight or more games in each season from 1979-87.
Allen Henry, USA TODAY Sports

No. 92: Connecticut -- As always, the Huskies are strong on defense but weak on offense. In the past six seasons, UConn quarterbacks have combined to throw 69 touchdowns against 72 interceptions while averaging 185.67 yards per game. Over the same span, the Huskies' defense has allowed 91 passing touchdowns against 97 interceptions while holding opposing quarterbacks to an average of 218.39 yards per game.
David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports

No. 91: UAB -- The Blazers and second year head coach Garrick McGee are trending up, with young talent on both sides of the ball. However, despite their relatively weak conference, UAB looks to still be a year away from reaching a bowl game.
Marvin Gentry, US Presswire

90: Wyoming -- The Cowboys have won 15 games in the past three years, with most coming in an eight-win finish in 2011. Three have come against Football Championship Subdivision competition. Three have come against Colorado State – a combined 10-26 since 2010. Of Wyoming's 15 wins since 2010, only three have come against winning teams: Toledo in 2010 and San Diego State and Air Force in 2011. Every other defeated opponent ended the season with seven or more losses. So what is Wyoming going to do when there are no more easy wins – when its MWC schedule is loaded with teams with realistic bowl hopes?
Brendan Maloney, US PRESSWIRE

89: Purdue -- The Boilermakers have a new coach in Darrell Hazell, who won 11 games at Kent State last season with a unique system of steps that he is proud to call his own. In specific, Hazell's blueprint worked for Kent State. But his plan is universal: It'll work everywhere, whether we're talking Kent State, Purdue or Ohio State, should Hazell slide into the Buckeyes' plans at some point in the future. The Boilermakers will win with what they've got and feel good doing so. Just not from the start, perhaps.
Byron Hetzler, USA TODAY Sports

88: Temple -- Temple went back into its past to nab a replacement for Boston College-bound Steve Addazio. It shied away from the years prior to 2006, when Al Golden stepped in and reversed the program's fate, and opted for one of Golden's chief lieutenants in ex-offensive coordinator Matt Rhule. Rhule's return spells a move back to Temple's recent glory days, when the offense was pro-style, the defense aggressive and the team worked as one cohesive unit. Those were good times. Rhule will bring 'em back.
Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports

87: Iowa State -- Never before has Iowa State football had this level of fan support. What's not to like? The fan base admires the work coach Paul Rhoads and his staff have put into creating a consistent Big 12 presence, albeit one that typically sneaks into bowl play with six wins, hovering along the league's bottom third. The typically undermanned Cyclones are overachievers, basically. But here's a question: Once you overachieve once, twice, three times, aren't you simply achieving?
Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports

86: Duke -- Duke is looking to return to bowl play after winning six games in 2012. To do that and reach the postseason, Duke must find consistent play from new quarterback Anthony Boone. Duke will look to a more balanced offense to move the ball against ACC competition.
Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports

85: Kent State -- Led by electric running back Dri Archer, Kent State will try to stay at a high level of achievement after an 11-3 season despite losing their coach to Purdue in the offseason. Prior to last season, Kent State was the lone FBS program with roots in the 20th century with a career winning percentage below .400 – it stood at .388, to be precise. Prior to last season, Kent State had not won more than six games since 1987. Prior to last season, Kent State was mired in a run of 32 non-winning seasons in 34 years. Then, last season, The Flashes came within a whisper of the Bowl Championship Series, believe it or not, and would have been the underdog story to end all underdog stories.
Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports

84: Pittsburgh --Pitt's defense is good enough to carry this team. But to say that the Panthers can win six or more games without a strong offense would be misleading – and this offense has some major holes to address before getting started against Florida State in early September.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

83: Arkansas -- After a disastrous 2012 campaign following the summer departure of Bobby Petrino, the once-proud Razorbacks will try to get back in to bowl contention in the stacked Southeastern Conference. Coach Bret Bielema will bring a taste of the Big Ten to the SEC, turning Arkansas' finesse style into a punishing, physical team worthy of rolling in the mud with perennial powers like Alabama, Florida and LSU.
Jeff Blake, USA TODAY Sports

82: Southern Mississippi -- After an 0-12 season, the Golden Eagles had no choice but to dismiss their coach and hire former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken to replace him. Like Larry Fedora before him, brings sterling offensive credentials to Hattiesburg. But unlike Johnson, who took over a 12-win team, Monken inherits a winless group struggling to relocate its confidence. USM can take some solace in the fact it can't get any worse.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

81: Syracuse - New coach Scott Shafer still has his hands full tutoring a fairly inexperienced team – the Orange return only 11 starters – in a new league, a more competitive ACC.
Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports

80: South Florida -- Coming off a 3-9 season, USF hired Willie Taggart as head coach. South Florida is one of five American Athletic Conference holdovers from the old Big East, not counting Temple, which joined the Big East as the league entered its death throes in 2012. Of the five, USF joins Rutgers as the lone programs to have not reached the Bowl Championship Series.
Daniel Wallace, AP

79: Middle Tennessee State --What team shows up in 2013? Perhaps the eight-win squad of 2012, or the 10-win team of 2009, or the bowl team of 2010. Or will it be the 10-loss team of 2011, as disappointing a non-automatically qualifying group in the country?
Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports

78: Virginia --UVa has plus-talent at quarterback, running back, receiver and all throughout the defense, with the only issue for 2013 being that nearly every meaningful contributor stands a season away from a breakthrough.
Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports

77: Minnesota --Think about this: Every year, Minnesota's quest for bowl eligibility goes through the Wolverines, Cornhuskers, Spartans, Wildcats and Hawkeyes – and sometimes, that quintet will be joined by Leaders Division teams like Wisconsin and Penn State. That'll happen sometimes. Like in 2013, for example.
Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports

75: Western Kentucky --There's a blindingly bright future at WKU, even if it's hard to predict just how long Petrino remains with the program before a win-hungry power comes calling. To get to the next level, however, Petrino needs to develop personnel on offense to fit his foolproof system.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

74: Buffalo -- Coach Jeff Quinn has done a great job developing talent, as Buffalo won three of its last four games. The arrow is pointing up for this squad, which could reach a bowl game this year. The running game will continue to go through Branden Oliver (pictured), one of the MAC's best backs.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

73. Indiana - The Hoosiers enter this season a confident group, having won four games under Kevin Wilson last fall. He has developed the team's offense into one of the most potent in the Big Ten. To take the next step, Indiana will need to build more depth on the defensive side.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

72. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons are loaded with seniors and several underclassmen set for larger roles. They should challenge for six wins with coach Jim Grobe thanks to a strong offense, which will be more run-based, and increased depth.
Chuck Burton, AP

71. Houston: After 17 seasons with Conference USA, Houston joins the American. It hopes to rejoin the postseason after going 5-7 last season. Dave Piland must step up at quarterback and the defensive-line interior needs to be rebuilt.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

70. San Jose State: The Spartans won the Military Bowl last season, finishing an impressive campaign in which they went 11-2 and earned a national ranking in both polls. Even with one of the nation's best quarterbacks in David Fales (No.1), new coach Ron Caragher and his staff has their hands full fixing the defense.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

69. Iowa: The Hawkeyes look to rebound after going 4-8 a season ago. Coach Kirk Ferentz will have to find a new quarterback to replace replace James Vandenberg. Their postseason hopes will ride on a strong backfield and and offensive line.
Charlie Neibergall, AP

67. Air Force: Are there negative signs? I'd say so. But are they reasons for concern? No, not really. Though Air Force has been trending downward the last two years – 13-13 combined since the start of the 2011 season – the Falcons have, to be fair, lost four games by single digits. It was only two years ago that Air Force scored 454 points, the fourth-highest total in school history – so the offense isn't broken. Likewise, the Falcons' 2011 defense ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in yards allowed per game. So what happened last season? The Falcons struggled. It happens.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

66. Maryland: The Terps enter Year 3 under Randy Edsall with serious bowl expectations. Maryland will have increased depth and will land markedly improved production at quarterback, with C.J. Brown (pictured) healthy. To ensure six wins, Maryland must address some personnel issues on the defensive side of the ball
Patrick Semansky, AP

65. Louisiana-Monroe: ULM had its first breakthrough as a member of the FBS last season, winning eight games. The Warhawks return 17 starters altogether, with eight on offense (including dual-threat QB Kolton Browning) and nine on defense. ULM is easily one of the top three teams in the Sun Belt Conference and a bowl favorite.
Patrick Semansky, AP

64. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have reached three bowl games in a row under coach Dan Mullen. Last season ended poorly for the Bulldogs, with four losses in five games after a 7-0 start. To rebound, MSU needs to land more consistent quarterback play and replace two cornerbacks
Patrick Semansky, AP

63. Louisiana Tech: After a nine win season that amazingly did not earn them a postseason bid, Louisiana Tech is aiming to keep up their success from last season behind a truly explosive offense. In order to get a BCS bid, which is a possibility if they play their cards right, they must hold serve against weak WAC opponents.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

62. Tennessee: Tennessee was a few first downs, a third-down conversion, a fourth-down stop, a two-point conversion and an errant pass away from reaching bowl eligibility last fall, the program's third year under ex-coach Derek Dooley. But now Dooley is gone after he failed to make a Bowl game, and in his stead is hot new coach Butch Jones.
Randy Sartin, USA TODAY Sports

61. Utah: Utah didn't bite off more than it could chew in joining the Pac-12, though the record might suggest otherwise: After going 33-6 in its final three years in the Mountain West Conference, Utah has slid to 13-12 in its new league – finishing outside of bowl eligibility last fall, a program-first since the pre-Urban Meyer period. The Utes have moved away from their winning tradition somewhat in recent years, but are looking to get back there on the back of a good offense.
Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

60. Navy: Okay, so the Midshipmen beat Army again last season. There's a word for Navy's run of success in the chase for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy: Domination. The Midshipmen have won eight of the past 10 trophies, losing out to Air Force in 2010 and 2011. Last season's sweep – wins against both Army and Air Force – marked the program's eighth double-dip since 2003. But the gap among the armed forces academies might be closing pretty quickly. Just don't tell these Midshipmen.
Danny Wild, USA TODAY Sports

59: Utah State: Utah State came this close to a perfect regular season in 2012, as a missed field goal against BYU sunk their BCS chances. They lost their two games by a combined five points. Then there are the 11 wins, eight coming by 22 or more points. USU was quite easily one of college football's best teams of 2012, one separated from greater glory by only the slimmest of margins.
Douglas C. Pizac, USA TODAY Sports

58. Missouri: The Tigers really struggled in their first season in the SEC, not making a bowl game for the first time since 2004. That's to be expected moving in to the most powerful conference in college football if you don't have a Heisman-winning quarterback, so we can cut Mizzou some slack. They will show improvement this season.
Dak Dillon, USA TODAY Sports

57. West Virginia: West Virginia looks for a vastly improved defense to team with an offense that should remain among the Big 12's best despite changes at quarterback, wide receiver and offensive guard. The Mountaineers started 5-0 in 2012, rising as high as No. 4 in the polls, before losing six of eight to end the season.
Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports

56. Auburn - After a disastrous 3-9 (0-8 SEC) season, Auburn finally fired Gene Chizik and brought former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn in to head the program. It was an amazing fall for the Tigers, who won a national championship and went undefeated in 2010-11. Now, Auburn must start virtually from scratch, but have brought in some talented recruits that may help ease the transition.
John Reed, USA TODAY Sports

55. Arkansas State - The Red Wolves won the GoDaddy.com Bowl last year, but now have their fourth new head coach in the last four seasons. But ASU is at the front of the Sun Belt conference and should continue to make the postseason and win games once they get there.
Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports

54. Rutgers: Give Rutgers coach Kyle Flood credit for many things, including his nine-win debut as Greg Schiano's replacement, but let's focus on one achievement in particular: Flood and Rutgers have recruited as well as any team in the Big East – and the American Athletic Conference, now that it's 2013. They're not Louisville in terms of quality, but the Scarlet Knights will almost certainly make a bowl game.
Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports

53. North Carolina State: After a seven-win season, the Wolfpack has a new coach in former Northern Illinois head man Dave Doeren. After some good results and bad results over the tenure of Tom O'Brien, the pack is ready to move away from average overall results and try and move to the top of the ACC.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports

52. Bowling Green. Bowling Green: The Falcons’ defense will remain the best in the Mid-American Conference despite losing two all-conference starters. Bowling Green’s biggest concern is quarterback play, where senior Matt Schilz’s disappointing 2012 season has led coach Dave Clawson to create a quarterback competition. If the offense doesn’t improve, Bowling Green could top out at seven wins and a second-place finish in the East Division.
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51. Arizona: After a tremendous debut, coach Rich Rodriguez will need to cobble together an offense without last year’s starting quarterback and top receiver. While the offensive line and running game remain strong, Arizona’s defense is not to the point where it can slow down many opponents during Pac-12 play. The Wildcats will return to the postseason, but the team might struggle in September as it transitions to a new cast on offense.
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